Jillian, I'm thinking of purchasing your 5 DVDs and was wondering how to incorporate them into your plan. I was thinking I'd do them and add cardio to the end to make it a full hour workout. Does this sound about right?

Bchgrl34, did you buy the book? Jillian's workouts start with her circuit training. Then when you're finished with it, you do any aerobics of your choice as long as it thoroughly kicks your ***. I'm guessing one of Jillian's tapes would do that. LOL So, just as the book says, you do the 12-week circuit training routines then your own cardio. I'm not Jillian, but just thought I'd help.

Bch, maybe you could bring questions that aren't related to Jillian's book to the other thread. I started this so that she could easily find questions and answer them because so many were getting buried. A lot of us are doing the book and are confused by what we're supposed to be doing in it. We're trying to help each other, but I just wanted to ask you if you wouldn't mind. I know she doesn't have a ton of time, but makes it for us. I didn't want to see her get bogged down and not come around anymore.

Jillian ... I am waiting patiently for your book to arrive ... but until then I do have a question and maybe your book would answer it but heck if I know, so here goes. I am SOOO freaking addicted to soda and I know it's awful for you. I drink Diet Pepsi for 2 reasons ... #1- I really don't know, I love it ... #2 - caffeine ... I have tried to get off the soda but then I am a mega hooch and I get some awful headaches ... your advice? Should I just suck it up and be unbearable for a couple weeks? Is there anything other than water that's sweet to drink? Just curious ... thank you so much ...

1. Replacement exercises - the best way to replace exercises that require equipment is to invest in an exercise band. You can do all the back moves with it like Lat pull downs, Terry Pulls, Rows etc. You can do all the arm moves, and most of the chest moves. YOu can do presses with them, pull downs with them, flyes with them etc. For example, if you hang the cable over a bar or a door jam you can kneel on a towel and do your Lat pulls and so forth. As for leg moves like presses, extensions, or ham curls - you can do weighted squats instead of presses by holding something in your hands like a gallon of water if you don't have weights available. You can also do extensions or ham curls with heavy ankle weights and higher reps.

2. The workout videos are specifically designed to match the workout philosophies advocated in the sweat section of the book (splits, intensity, sequence etc.)

3. After the twelve weeks are up you should be familiar with all the different types of exercises and the muscle splits. You should then refer back to the section that talks about designing your workout routine. Following the same principals I laid out for you, you should be able to design your own routines by changing up which exercise you choose for each muscle group, mixing up the resistance, mixing up the sets and reps, focusing on a different muscle contraction in each exercise - for example, for a week you might do your pushups by holding for a 5 count in the middle of the move (the isometric contraction).

1. it is VERY difficult for women to gain muscle mass because of our estrogen levels. Estrogen inhibits fat metabolism and muscle growth. It is very rare that women have hormonal imbalances with testosterone levels through the roof - if you have this issue I promise you you would know it. There would be many other signs - like excess facial hair for example. It is a very rare condition and... genetic.

2. It is virtually impossible to gain muscle mass when you are on a calorie restricted diet. This is not to say you can't get lean muscle. There is such a thing as marbelized muscle (just like a piece of steak that is fatty) you muscles can be the same.

Therefore - here is your answer: Lifting heavy weights targets your fast twitch muscle fibers, lifting lighter weights targets your slow twitch muscle fibers. In my opinion it is most advantages to mix up your routine regularly and practive both methods. This way you keep you body from adapting and get the phsyiological benefits of both types of workouts. Both will ultimately help you get lean muscle and shed fat. I REPEAT THE ONLY WAY TO BULK UP IS TO HAVE A CALORIE SURPLUS - as long as you don't have that you won't bulk up :-)

THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS AT THE END OF THE DAY IS HOW YOU FEEL! I only use waist to hip ratio because I feel like it is the most accurate guage for realistic goal weights compared to what other methods are out there. BMI for example is totally bogus. According to the BMI Arnold Schwarzenegar (spelling?) would be considered obese. It doesn't take into account body composition and is therefore totally inaccurate. Even still waist to hip is not pefect - that is why I gave a rough weight chart so people would have a better indication of what is considered "normal". Regardless - at the end of the day - you need to feel good about your body and comfortable in your own skin. Forget about all that other crap - it's only there so you don't expect you should look like Cameron Diaz or something. As long as you feel good - that's all that matters.

Angel - I am going to write out a couple of menus for slow, balanced, and fast oxidizers. This is gonna take a few days for me - I will get there promise. I think what you may have seen is what is posted on NBC's site under my tips. I had them take it down because it was a sample diet that I developed for Lizzeth from season 1. I did not intend for everyone to follow that ever. The cals where WAY to low for the average person and the foods were specifically chosen for her metabolic type. Will post samples for all types and use the calorie allowance that you calculate for yourself in my book. The way you will tailor the sample menus to match you calorie allowance is through protion control... make sense?

Sarah - No answer... sending you mad love back ;-) THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR KIND WORDS. Again, this is not selfless on my part. Imagine how good it makes me feel to get posts like yours! From one rockstar to another... thank you!

Beach G - ugghh the weight question. I was in fact heavy. This is such a long story... It is still kinda painful for me so I have burned almost every photo. Fortunately, or unfortunately my father managed to dig up an old photo from his wedding because nobody actually believed me. I gave it to the NBC publicist so she could give it to press for their articles. I will have her e-mail a copy of that photo and see if I can post it here for you guys.

Here is the story in a nutshell - I was a heavy - not obese - kid. I was about 45# heavier then I am now. I know this doesn't sound like much to you guys but I am only 5'2 so it is just under a third of my body weight. I was a size 12 (now a size 4). My body fat was 25% now it's 11%. When I was about 14 my mother got me into martial arts and it was my instructor that taught me about health and fitness. He showed me how strong I was through tough love and subsequently changed my life in more ways then just the physical. This is where I get my fitness philosophy and my passion for fitness as a tool to transform lives both physically and emotionaly. I could go on and on about this, but I don't want to bore you. Long story short - my book is really about my own journey towards health and my own struggles with weight. Over 17 years I have asked every question, read every fad diet, tried every pill, worked out on every gizmo. I have talked with the top nutritionists in the world, the best sports medicine doctors, and biochemists. Through all of that - I managed to lose the weight and form my "3 s approach to weight loss and total health". Dear god... are you guys hating me yet for this long post. If you guys have more specific questions about this I will be happy to answer but for now I think you have suffered enough.

Beachster (your name is changing every time I post to you) I have a severe nick name problem...

The DVD's are 30 minutes because the DVD company said that all the research shows that people won't commit to anything over 30 minutes... blah blah blah. SO annoying. Having said that, they were footing the bill so I had to submit on that point. That is why the videos are so intense... to make sure I pack in as much punch as possible and burn as many calories as possible. You are right about the cardio - for any resistance workokut that isn't 60 minutes (including 5 min of warm up and 5 min of cool down) I like people to do cardio at 85% of their MHR.

Soda's - the skinny - there is a huge difference between health and weight loss. Are diet soda's healthy... NO, but you won't gain weight on them. At the end of the day it's a choice. I drink tons of diet coke (I am particularly addicted to coke zero right now), but having said that there are options.